Matthew 20:20–28

A Mother’s Request

20:20–28pp—Mk 10:35–45

²⁰Then the mother of Zebedee’s sonsⁱ came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down,^j asked a favor of him.

²¹“What is it you want?” he asked.

She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.”^k

²²“You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup^l I am going to drink?”

“We can,” they answered.

²³Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink from my cup,^m but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father.”

²⁴When the ten heard about this, they were indignantⁿ with the two brothers. ²⁵Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. ²⁶Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,^{o 27}and whoever wants to be first must be your slave—²⁸just as the Son of Man^p did not come to be served, but to serve,^q and to give his life as a ransom^r for many.”